Native Scottish Plants to incorporate into your garden designHistoric Scottish Gardens Scottish Plants Flowers and plants native to, or particularly associated with, the history of Scotland. As with most countries, Scotland abounds with native plant and herb lore. For the modern gardener, looking with a fresh eye, many of the native species provide a rich source of inspiration for natural and historic planting schemes as well as modern design, or simply to blend with more conventional garden plants and preserve overlooked species. This is a ‘Cook’s Tour’ digest of the most notable in either appearance or properties, but for those who really want to dig in to the subject, there’s a short book list at the foot of the page. We also have a separate list of modern and non-native plant suggestions for historical garden themes under Gardening Today. Scotch Thistle, Onopordum acanthium (left) and Melancholy Thistle, Cirsium heterophyllum (right) The Scotch Thistle (Onopordum acanthium). Well, we had to start with this one! This tall and handsome thistle can grow up to five feet in height, and although regarded as a weed in the past, is now gaining favour with modern gardeners for its architectural value.

Its natural habitat is poorer soils, waste ground and roadsides, but despite its name, is actually quite rare in Scotland! Far more appropriate is the Melancholy Thistle (Cirsium heterophyllum), which although also quite rare, is specific to damp places in mountain areas. Similar in appearance to the common Meadow Thistle found in England, this however has large leaves which are felted and white underneath. The flower heads have elegantly overlapping purple-edged sepals, with reddish-purple florets – a far better match in appearance to the ‘Scottish Thistle’ than the namesake! Male Bog Myrtle (Myrica gale) catkins (left), and unripe female flowers (right) Bog Myrtle (Myrica gale) A small, unassuming shrub, growing to no more than four feet, this is common throughout Britain in fens and boggy areas. It has a pleasant, slightly honeyed aromatic scent, and its significance to Scotland is that it is a wonderful repellent to the dreaded midge, growing as it does in areas favoured by midges as breeding grounds.

Its properties have been known for centuries, but it is only recently that companies have started to use bog myrtle extract in commercial midge repellents. Hillside gorse (Ulex europaeus), and the flower in close up (right) Gorse (Ulex europaeus) Common Gorse, known as Whin or Furze in Scotland, is extremely widespread, particularly in sandy, coastal soils and thin, upland soils. It begins sporadic flowering in late Autumn, continuing through the Winter, and going into full flower in Spring. Its evergreen, thorny and tough nature makes it an excellent windbreak and hedging plant, with the bonus of a somewhat coconut-like scent when in full flower. As with the pea and bean family, Gorse fixes nitrogen in the soil, creating an environment in which other plants can establish and thrive, although it can be aggressive in ideal conditions and need burning off or cutting down to control spread. In Scotland, crofters and farmers traditionally used it as a Winter feed for cows, ponies and other livestock, grinding it to a palatable consistency with a whin-stone, either themselves or at the local mill.

It can also be used as a fuel, burning well with little smoking even when quite green. Bell Heather, Erica cinerea and Ling Heather, Calluna vulgaris (right) Heather, Ling (Calluna vulgaris) and Heather, Bell (Erica cinerea) Ling is the best-known native Scottish heather, providing that famous purple bloom on the hills. Evergreen, and tough as old boots, this will, however, turn up its toes in chalk/lime soil, and won’t really thrive in neutral soil unless planted with a good dose of ericaceous (acid) compost. Being a plant adapted to harsh, damp conditions, a water-retentive soil works best, and a vigorous haircut in Spring to imitate the depredations of deer and so on, should have it coming back year after year. The passion for alpine and rock gardens since the 19th Century has spurred many old cultivars, so you can now get white, pink and blue colours with a similar hardiness. Flowering period is generally July to September, but this varies according to both region and altitude.

Very similar to the calluna, the Bell heather has brighter purple/magenta blooms, and is more adapted to high and rocky places, so a thin, gritty soil with high drainage will make it happy. Again, flowering period varies according to situation, but on the whole it comes into bloom slightly earlier than the ling variety. In the wild, they often co-exist, with ling setting up camp in damp hollows of rocks, and the bell colonizing the drier areas. Both these species have been developed to take advantage of their hardiness, and there are plenty of varieties that will bloom throughout the winter months. Cross-Leaved Heath (Erica tetralix) in bloom, and detail from a Dutch botanical plate of 1800, showing the distinctive crossed pattern of the scale leaves Cross-Leaved Heath (Erica tetralix) A relation of the heather, this is somewhat rare, but another that is fond of the wet, and produces its mid-pink blooms at the tips of the stems in peaty and boggy areas between June and October.

Charles Darwin himself theorised that this species might be at least partly-carnivorous, due to it possessing glands that produce an adhesive substance, but it’s more likely these are just to help it hang on when the wind gets up a bit … Scottish Bluebell or Harebell, Campanula rotundifolia (left), the famous Scottish Bluebell matchbox, and the English Bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta (right) Scottish Bluebell (Campanula rotundifolia) Known south of the border as the Harebell, this differs markedly from the famous English bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) in that its growth is more bushy, with delicate, upright, branching stems and larger, bluish-purple bell-shaped blooms. Unlike its namesake, which colonises woodland and shaded areas, the Harebell is adapted to poor, moorland soil and dry upland areas. Unsurprisingly, it is hardy in low winter temperatures, and flowers continuously from late spring into autumn given temperatures above 12°C. Having said all that, the English bluebell is very common in Scottish woodlands, so a good deal of confusion occurs over which is which.

As is the case south of the border, this species is under threat from the introduction to gardens of the Spanish bluebell, which is more agressive in its reproduction. Steps have been taken to preserve what should really be termed the British bluebell, and it is now protected by law. Scottish Flame Flower, Tropaeolum speciosum flower detail (left), in an apt setting, and berry detail (right) Scottish Flame Flower (Tropaeolum speciosum) Originally found in Chile and Peru, this striking climber is thought to have been brought to Scotland by a plant collector sometime in the 19th century, and has naturalised so sucessfully, particularly in old, abandoned gardens, the ‘Scottish’ is frequently added to the common name. A member of the nasturtium family, it grows up to 3 metres tall, and produces masses of vibrant scarlet pansy-petalled blooms from July to September, followed by intense blue berries in the Autumn. Flowering most prolifically in cooler summers, it needs a shaded, moist and peaty root run, and once established, is extremely hardy.

As with most nasturtiums, the flowers are edible, and can be added to fruit or green salads for a dash of artistry. Interestingly, it also thrives well in New Zealand, where it has become so rampant it is now classed as a weed! Links A particularly useful link is the Natural History Museum’s postcode plant finder; simply pop in the first part of your postcode, and the search facility will list both modern and historically recorded wild plants for your area. Great for identifying ‘weeds’ that might be worth a stay of execution. Harebell (Hare Bell, Bluebell, Bellflower) - Plant Categories - The Tortoise table The Tortoise Table Harebell (Hare Bell, Bluebell, Bellflower) Common name : Harebell (Hare Bell, Bluebell, Bellflower) Latin name : Campanula rotundifolia Family name : Campanulaceae As part of the Campanula family, the Harebell is safe to feed to tortoises, but feed only the leaves and flowers, as the roots are rhizomatous and we do not recommend feeding rhizomes. This plant is a garden escapee and is now found mainly in the wild.

The Harebell is somewhat confusingly called Bluebell in Scotland and some other areas, but do not confuse this with the plant more commonly known as * Bluebell *. Flowers of the Harebell are most often lilac or blue but can also be found in shades of pink and white. Top five wildflowers in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland revealed | Garden | Life & Style | Daily Express GARDEN Top five wildflowers in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland revealed A CAMPAIGN to vote for the UK’s favourite wild flower has been launched by the conservation organisation Plantlife. 10:01, Tue, Apr 7, 2015 | UPDATED: 10:39, Tue, Apr 7, 2015 GETTY Bluebells topped England's favourite flower list Twenty five wild flowers have been shortlisted for the vote, which is open until June, but its website already lists the top five favourites in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The bluebell comes out top in England, with the hareball number one in Northern Ireland, but both Scotland and Wales have gone for the primrose – which is number two in England and number three in Northern Ireland.

All four nations have included bluebells and primroses in their top five, but each also has one wild flower that none of the others have chosen – and Wales has two unique choices. These are cowslips for England (fourth), foxglove for Northern Ireland (second), grass-of-parnassus for Scotland (fifth) and Wales has wild daffodils (third) and wood anemones (fourth). The full line-ups are: The common poppy ranked third on England's favourite BEE ORCHID (Ophrys apifera) A very characteristic orchid, the lip not only looks like a hairy bee but the flower emits a scent pheromone to attract male bees, fooling them into copulating with the flower to effect pollination. There is evidence this species is moving north in response to climate change. BLUEBELL (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) Britain has 70 per cent of the world’s population of this species and in many woods it provides an unparalleled wildlife spectacle. Bluebells contain at least 15 biologically active compounds that may provide them with protection against insects and animals. Certain extracts are similar to compounds tested for use in combating HIV and cancer.

CHICKWEED WINTERGREEN (Trientalis europaea) Also known as the 'Arctic starflower', chickweed wintergreen is one of northern Britain’s best-kept botanical secrets. Where temperatures rise about 18oC it cannot fix carbon dioxide, causing growth to slow right down. For this reason, it’s restricted to the coolest parts of northern England and Scotland. COMMON POPPY (Papaver rhoeas) The symbol of remembrance, the striking red flowers of the common poppy stand out from a distance, often adorning cornfields. Seeds can lie dormant in the soil for over 80 years; when they’re brought to the surface by ploughing or cultivation, the briefest flash of light – just a few milliseconds – can start them germinating. CORNFLOWER (Centaurea cyanus) The beautiful cornflower was formerly a common cornfield plant. However, modern agricultural practices, such as increased use of herbicides and fertilisers, the development of highly competitive crop varieties, and the conversion of arable land to pasture has caused a dramatic decline. Only around 100 ancient cornfield sites are known.

COW PARSLEY (Anthriscus sylvestris) The lace-like quality of the white flowers seen in abundance along roadsides makes this one of our more well known wild plants; another commonly used name is Queen Anne’s Lace. Although beautiful, it’s a robust plant and has increased in many areas as it can tolerate poor road verge management. COWSLIP (Primula veris) One of the best-known spring flowers, cowslips are both an adornment of pastures and banks and a nostalgic symbol of the once flower-rich pastures of rural Britain. The name cowslip allegedly derives from the term ‘cowslups', meaning cowpat; they flower where a cow had ‘slupped'. More appealingly, the flowers have an apricot-like smell. GETTY The Foxglove is also know as Digitalis purpurea DOG ROSE (Rosa canina) A familiar hedgerow shrub with pink flowers followed by red-orange hips.

The ‘dog’ part of the name is of uncertain origin; may be because it’s common, because the root was once thought to cure rabies (from dogs), because the wood was used for making dagger handles (‘dag’ rose), because it is virtually scentless, or because the prickles are reminiscent of dogs’ teeth. Whatever the origin, it’s a beautiful plant. FOXGLOVE (Digitalis purpurea) This well-known and familiar wildflower has tall spikes bearing up to 80 bell-shaped blooms. The plants are the source of the heart medicine digoxin , which at precisely the right dosage causes the heart to beat more strongly. The pharmaceutical industry uses the dried foxglove leaves on a commercial basis today to make heart drugs. SNAKE’S-HEAD FRITILLARY (Fritillaria meleagris) A much-loved wildflower of floodplain meadows, but it’s not clear if the fritillary is a native plant or not. It wasn’t recorded in the wild until 1736, remarkably late for such an attractive wildflower. Whether introduced by the Romans, an escapee from Tudor gardens or an indigenous flower that went unnoticed, its origins are still discussed today.

GRASS OF PARNASSUS (Parnassia palustris) A flower of cool beauty and a symbol of 'the wilderness and wet', the grass-of-parnassus is also known as the 'bog star'. It isn't actually a grass at all, but is placed in a botanical family all of its own. The name comes from ancient Greece; cattle on Mount Parnassus developed a taste for the plant, hence it became an ‘honorary grass'. HAREBELL (Campanula rotundifolia) Harebell is a flower of dry, open, windy places from the hills to the sea. It’s one of the species most at risk from ‘fertilizer rain’ – the deposition of nitrogen from the atmosphere. Larger, more thuggish plants flourish under this rain and out-compete the delicate harebell, and it’s now becoming threatened in England. HONEYSUCKLE (Lonicera periclymenum) A climber famous for its heady scent – one of the strongest of any British wild flower. The creamy-white flowers become yellow once pollinated by night-flying moths. Honeysuckle is Shakespeare's ‘woodbine'.

In A Midsummer Night's Dream, Puck knew a secluded bank ‘quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine'. It was a fit place for a love-tryst considering honeysuckle's heady scent and suggestive twining growth. LESSER CELANDINE (Ranunculus ficaria) The pretty, star-like flowers create wonderful blankets of yellow upon the ground. The name 'celandine' comes from the Greek chelidon meaning 'swallow'. Although the two do not return to the UK at the same time it is one of the first signs of spring – a sort of vegetable swallow. Together with a mole’s heart it was said to give protection against enemies and lawsuits if carried on one’s person. MEADOW CRANE'S-BILL (Geranium pratense) Meadow crane's-bill has large blue flowers, which are carried in pairs and bow down during flowering. After pollination, though, the stems become erect, producing beak-like pods that give this plant its common name. At maturity the seeds are explosively catapulted from the fruit pods a distance of up to 6 ft. The plant was formerly frequent in hay meadows, but has become increasingly restricted to roadsides verges as meadows have been destroyed.

GETTY The flamboyant Viper's Bugloss seems to below to a hot country OXEYE DAISY (Leucanthemum vulgare) The oxeye daisy has only been known as such since the 16th century. Before that it was more commonly known as the 'moon daisy' or 'dog daisy'. The large flowers are composed of hundreds of tiny flowers. Only those at the outer edge of the flower carry the conspicuous white ‘ray’ florets, but these play an important role in attracting pollinating insects – remove them and pollination falls dramatically. PASQUEFLOWER (Pulsatilla vulgaris) Flowering at Easter - hence the name - this sumptuous wildflower was once thought to grow where either Saxon or Danish blood has been spilt. This legend probably arose because they often appear on the banks of old earthworks and barrows. Now regarded as vulnerable to extinction, it has been lost from 97 sites due to ploughing-up of calcareous grassland; it now grows in just 33 places.

PRIMROSE (Primula vulgaris) One of surest signs that spring is on the way, the prima rosa ('first rose') is a common sight in woods and along hedgebanks and sea cliffs. Individual plants produceeither pin flowers (in which the female style is visible in the centre of the flower), or thrum flowers (where the five male stamens are visible). This is a clever mechanism to avoid self-fertilization and ensure pollination between different plants. RAGGED ROBIN (Lychnis flos-cuculi) A wild flower with a rakish charm, ragged Robin's dishevelled beauty enlivens many a damp meadow. The Latin name flos-cuculi comes from flos (flower) and cuculus (cuckoo), a reference to the plant blooming when the cuckoo is in full voice. Although widespread, this common plant is declining rapidly in some areas of England as are wet meadows are drained, ploughed or left ungrazed. RED CAMPION (Silene dioica) A splash of pink found on many a roadside verge, woodland glade or coppice.

Although a much loved and familiar wildflower, many people don’t notice that plants are either male or female, with very different flowers. Male flowers are large and dark, with a central boss of five stamens, while female flowers are smaller and paler, with three protruding styles. SNOWDROP (Galanthus nivalis) A much-anticipated sight in late winter, the snowdrop's slim green leaves and bobbing white blooms are iconic. It used to be thought that the snowdrop was native to the far south west of England and the Welsh borders. However, it was brought here from Europe by gardeners in the 16th century and first recorded growing in the wild in the 18th century. Like many non-native species, it’s a welcome and much loved addition to our flora. THRIFT (Armeria maritima) An outstanding beauty of the coast. Although a popular garden plant, there is nothing to match seeing it in its natural habitat: atop dramatic coastal cliffs or astride craggy islands. Its habit of growing in dense tufts led to it being called threave or thrive in Middle English (meaning ‘press close together’) and that in turn became thrift.

VIPER'S BUGLOSS (Echium vulgare) A flamboyant plant of dry banks and dunes, the viper's-bugloss seems to belong to a hot far-away country. With rough leaves, coiled flower spikes, blue petals and red stamens that flick like tongues, and black seeds shaped like an adder’s head, it’s likely that this plant's snake-like appearance contributed to its name. It has a reputation as a strong anti-venom, but we’d not recommend relying on it if bitten! WILD DAFFODIL (Narcissus pseudonarcissus ssp pseudonarcissus) As well as being a national symbol of Wales, the daffodil is also the County Flower of Gloucestershire. In fact, the ‘golden triangle' around the villages of Newent and Dymock is famous for its wild woodland daffodils. In the 1930s, the railway even ran ‘Daffodil Specials' there from London. A 10-mile footpath known as ‘The Daffodil Way' runs through woods, orchards and meadows, in which the wild daffodil is rarely out of sight.

WOOD ANEMONE (Anemone nemorosa) One of the first flowers of spring, wood anemones bloom like a galaxy of stars across the forest floor. Remarkably, this plant relies on ants to disperse its seed. Ants are attracted to small parcels of fatty tissue on each seed, who take them back to their nest. After feeding the fatty tissue to young larvae, the seed is discarded below ground – not just dispersed, but ready planted too! Related articles Must See Scotland - Flowers of Scotland – where will we see your likes in glens? Must See Scotland Must See Scotland Flowers of Scotland – where will we see your likes in glens? From Scots bluebells to bog myrtle, bell heather to the iconic thistle, the flowers of Scotland thrive - enjoying the rainfall more than the visitors do. Looking for 'Flower of Scotland' song lyrics? Click the link. Nostalgic video too! Here’s my take on just some of the flowers of Scotland. This is just a small selection I’ve enjoyed – high on the mountains, down by the sea, along the lush country lanes that you can find even in Scotland.

I've tried where possible to relate these flowers pictures to a place, as it may help you decide which part of Scotland you want to visit. There's plenty here on that iconic Scottish plant, heather, before I look at some other typical Scottish flowers. Bluebells - but not Scots bluebells - near Trowan, west of Crieff, Perthshire Botanically speaking, we’re probably not as rich and spectacular as, say, the Alps, but there’s still good stuff to enjoy out there, with the Angus Glens (Glen Clova) and the Ben Lawers range in particular noted as especially species-rich. And I may return to this flowery topic as I haven’t even begun to look through these ancient scary boxes of 35mm transparencies labelled ‘flowers’! (Gosh, how I wish how I’d indexed them better…..) Scots bluebells Bluebells and Scots Bluebells - the differences Here are some more Scots bluebells. These exceptionally large and lush examples are - somewhat poignantly - growing on what was the main runway of the wartime aerodrome of RAF Dallachy, in Moray.

More on this Strike Wing and its memorial on a blog piece found by clicking the picture. You know the difference between a bluebell and a Scots bluebell – a famous Scottish blue flower, simply one of the best known of the flowers of Scotland? Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) usually grow in woodland in great swathes. ‘Scots bluebells’ are harebells (in English) - pictured here - and are really Campanula rotundifolia. (Stop me if I get too technical.) They’re common on heathland and verges. I can't really say if they are common in the middle of runways of abandoned wartime airfields, but that's where I photographed the ones in the picture here. They’re on the site header as well unless I went and changed it and didn't alter this sentence. Heather - A Scottish icon Let’s get to the really characteristic flowers of Scotland now. There are two main types of heather – Calluna or common heather and Erica (sometimes called ‘bell heather’). And there are two species of Erica, the bell heather (E. cinerea), mentioned already, and cross-leaved heath (E. tetralix).

Cross-leaved heath as all its flowers at the top of the stem. bell heather. - a famous member of the flowers of scotland (Pictured after the bluebells) This is bell heather, though I've been peering at the original for a while just to make sure it wasn't cross-leaved heath! Anyway, yes, I know, I know: there's a wee lizard there as well. It's on top of a marker post on the Ullapool Hill walk. It's the furthest north I've ever seen a common lizard in Scotland. Wait, this is supposed to be about flowers in Scotland, not reptiles. And, wait - I do believe the Ullapool Hill walk has made it on to the top ten walks in Scotland page. (Dang these distracting links to other pages.) Common heather, also called 'ling', used to be a useful plant to the Highlanders of old – they made rope out of the stems. It was used as a broom, as bedding, between the stone walls for insulation, as a source of dye for cloth - and was even made into ale.

The Picts (they say) had the original recipe but they inconveniently disappeared and took the recipe with them. Anyway, common heather is just that - widespread in all kinds of situations - it's a pretty tough customer, coping with the poor acid Highland soils. Booking.com The heritage of heather Heather's use as bedding (mentioned above) is a link between its domestic and its herbal or medicinal role. The old herbalists knew that 'they who lie down at night faint and weary' on a heather bed, 'rise in the morning active and lively' - because of its restorative properties. Herbalists also prescribed it - and still do - for its anti-rheumatic properties and its specific use in the treatment of urinary infections. Heather has another property with both a mythical and a modern link. It naturally gives rise to 'sports' or mutants. The origins of white heather were explained in folk-myth as the places where the tears of Malvina, daughter of the Celtic bard Ossian, fell after she had learned of the death of her lover in battle.

Today, many of the cultivars to be found in garden centres both in Scotland and beyond were developed from chance finds in the wild or from sports noticed on other cultivars already growing in gardens. Heather is still playing a role in the Highland economy, not just in its wild form sheltering a variety of wildlife. Heather honey is still produced from hives taken out to blossoming moors in summer. A post-war shortage of timbers spawned a short-lived industry which made floor tiles from compressed heather stems. Though commercially unsuccessful, the bonding techniques evolved into a heather-gem jewellery range. Heather flavours everything, it seems, from a Highland liqueur to a range of cosmetics. Heather in Glen Derry, Aberdeenshire, in full bloom. Note the purple hill in the middle distance and the higher bare tops of the Cairngorms beyond - where the exposure means that even heather won't grow. Natural Scotland as tourist bait is promoted heavily with all that 'last wilderness' stuff. Read here about some of the least spoilt habitats in Scotland. The Scottish Thistle What could be more Scottish than the thistle?

(Actually, quite a lot of iconic stuff but let's move on...) The traditional tale of how, of all the flowers of Scotland, the thistle came to be a Scottish symbol is, frankly, a bit far-fetched. Apparently, far back in the Scotch mists of time, a raiding party of Vikings landed at night to pillage a village. They went undetected until one of the barefoot Norsemen stood on a particularly sharp thistle. The resulting Viking bad language awoke the village who armed themselves and drove off the Norsemen. Yeah, right. scottish thistle and dark green fritillary King James VII founded the Most Ancient Order of the Thistle in 1687. Their motto was Nemo me immune lacessit, translated into Scots as ‘Wha daur meddle wi me? (Or, into English: no-one assails me with impunity, which, to be honest, I find positively wimpy by comparison.) The Order had a generally spiky-looking thistle as an emblem. And that’s the problem with thistles. Among the flowers of Scotland, no-one is quite sure which one is meant to be a Scottish thistle.

There are a lot of different types, including spear thistle, the pernicious creeping thistle, the (damp loving) marsh thistle and the melancholy thistle that you see in upland pasture and on the banks of streams (or burns, in Scots). And there’s also the Partick, Buckie and the Inverness Caley Thistle for those so inclined. (Rein in the Scottish jokes, will ya? -Ed.) In this photograph, matters have been made worse by the fact there is a fritillary butterfly sitting on the thistle. So we not only have a hard to identify thistle, but a not too easy butterfly as well. Thank you, helpful folk from the East Scotland Branch of Butterfly Conservation for identifying this Scottish butterfly as a dark green fritillary. Follow that link to find out more about their important conservation work in Scotland. My fritillary was photographed at Roseisle, near Burghead in Moray. Funny we started off with flowers and we've had reptiles and now butterflies. mountain avens Some common alpine flowers of Scotland Let’s go up high again to find some special flowers of Scotland, firstly with mountain avens (Dryas octopetala - pictured here).

If you see this plant, you’re on limestone. It won’t grow on the acid peaty soils that are so common in Scotland. You can find it by the roadside on a certain spot on Skye, and by the sea at Durness in the far north – in fact, anywhere that a thin band of limestone emerges in the north-west of Scotland. But mostly it’s high in the mountains. And, it is said that the cup formed by the petals follow the sun like a kind of tracking dish – to warm up the, uhmm, middle bit to attract pollinating insects. Aren’t the flowers of Scotland clever? The leaves, like miniature oak leaves, are another identifying feature. moss campion dwarf cornel Scattered across the wild uplands of Scotland, moss campion’s pink starry flowers (pictured here) usually grow out of a soft green cushion of moss-like foliage. These were photographed amongst the granites of the Cairngorms, but it’s pretty widespread and brightens up many an otherwise dull plateau (to be honest!). It’s a plant I especially associate with a long day’s hillwalk. Also pictured here is another northern speciality - dwarf cornel (Cornus suesica).

This one was also photographed in the Cairngorms. It's a blanket-bog specialist, preferring poor acid soil (the exact opposite of the lime-loving mountain avens above). Though far from exclusively Scottish, gorse, sometimes called whins in Scotland, brightens up the Lowland landscapes throughout the country. In this picture, the foreground thicket of this tough shrub is on the edge of woodland west of Elgin in Moray , looking east. On a hot day, gorse smells of coconut! Looking east over the gorse by Monaughty (Monachty) Wood near Elgin, Moray Here’s my favourite Scottish plant – Bog Myrtle. bog myrtle Bog myrtle, sometimes called sweet gale - well, it’s a nicer name - is my favourite (and favorite) Scottish plant. Not only do the leaves, when crushed, give off a scent that, to me, simply, says ‘Oh good, I must be somewhere special in the Highlands’, but legend has it that the scent also repels midges . Well, probably. This is the fully grown plant. As its name suggests, it likes wet areas and so is widespread in the Highlands.

It loses its leaves for winter, then little catkins appear in spring to give a reddish tinge to its native boggy habitat. Bog myrtle (or sweet gale) is getting a lot of attention at the moment from natural beauty product producers. I think I know which name they'll choose for branding or marketing purposes. Botanical Locations in the North-west Highlands The Angus Glens and (even more famously) Ben Lawers in Perthshire have already been mentioned. There are also good botanical sites on several parts of the north coast – with Scots primrose just one speciality. (This link takes you my picture of Scots primrose on the Natural Scotland page.) The limestone outcrops in the Assynt area (Inchnadamph), north of Ullapool, are also good. And where there are fine flowers, there is usually fine scenery too. Check out the beautiful scenery pictures page. Or follow this link if you want to know what flowers were used to dye tartan . Flower of Scotland - the song Maybe you are here not because of botanical interest but because you are looking for the song that has become Scotland’s unofficial national anthem? The words are below.

‘Flower of Scotland’ was written by the late Roy Williamson of the hugely successful folk duo ‘The Corries’. It has evolved a lot since it was first broadcast on the BBC in 1967/8 - in black and white with Ruthven Barracks - I’m pretty sure - as a backdrop. (I remember as a boy recording this same broadcast with a wee tape recorder held in front of the tv! See: I told you I'd get nostalgic.) As the years went on, it certainly evolved, not just as a concert piece by the Corries themselves, but in a range of other settings, many of them sporting occasions. Scotland’s national rugby and football teams adopted it as an anthem, likewise it was sung at at least two Commonwealth Games when the Scots won medals. In fact, it’s pretty much ubiquitous. Oh Flower of Scotland, And sent him homeward, Tae think again. All right, the words tend a little towards an anti-England sentiment - proud Edward’s army etc being sent home (after the Battle of Bannockburn) ‘to think again’.

At least with England’s national anthem (or the ‘official’ one, depending on your viewpoint) they don’t sing that extraordinary verse that goes: “Lord, grant that Marshal Wade / May by thy mighty aid / Victory bring. May he sedition hush and like a torrent rush, / Rebellious Scots to crush / God save the King.” And in actual fact, this verse was only popular in early versions of the song, which was published in 1745 in ‘The Gentleman’s Magazine’ and became a popular ditty around the theatres in London, England. 1745, of course, is the year of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s rebellion and attempt to secure the throne. Clearly, those ‘rebellious Scots’ were on everybody’s mind at the time (though only briefly). Back at ‘Flower of Scotland’, verse two refers to ‘land that is lost now’ - possibly a colonial reference, ie the native people replaced by new waves - while the final version with its ‘rise now and be the nation again’ is unashamedly patriotic in tone - though written at a time when a Scottish Parliament, let alone Independence, seemed a very distant prospect.

As for the tune, listen to Williamson’s original setting and you’ll see it’s carried along at a steady pace. It can be a bit of a dirge when sung too slowly. And there is one other little issue with it - that note on ‘think’ as in ‘tae think again’. It’s a flattened 7th (is it not?) and seems to be a bit of a problem for the bagpipe scale, though we old folkies are comfortable enough with it on the instruments we play. I now have the feeling I shouldn’t have mentioned this. Anyway, there are thousands of fans belting it out at, say, a rugby international at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, with any luck they’ll drown out the pipers. MORE TO EXPLORE Facts on the Blue Bell Flower | Garden Guides Facts on the Blue Bell Flower Facts on the Blue Bell Flower Reason for flagging? Submit Overview Blue Bell Flower, or Campanula rotundifolia, is a member of the Campanulaceae, or bellflower family. It is native to the United States, and can also be known as the Bluebell of Scotland or the Harebell. Description Blue Bell is a perennial flower.

It can reach four to 15 inches and has bluish violet flowers that are in clusters and shaped like a bell. Leaves tend to wither and have just stems remaining. Growth Campanula rotundifolia can live in all types of light, from full sun to full shade. They prefer dry soils that are well drained. Expect flowers to last a long time. Attractions Blue bell flowers will attract hummingbirds to the garden. They are a fine choice for those interesting in hummingbird gardens. Propagation Sow seeds inside, and water from the bottom. Do not cover the seeds, and place where you have good lighting. While seeds germinate fast, plants will not flower the first year. Alternatively, root stem cuttings in a damp sand mix. Fun Fact Flowers were called Harebell by witches, who were believed to be able to transform into hares. Scottish people also call this "Witches Thimble" in nod to this association with witches. References Schwinn Bike Schwinn Bike Trying to find the best deal on Schwinn Bike online? the best deals are listed on eBay below.

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Question: How is the harebell more commonly known in Scotland?
Answer: Bluebell